


Of Mice and Men

by clgfanfic



Category: War of the Worlds (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2012-11-17
Packaged: 2017-11-18 20:25:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/564939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a post-Good Samaritan fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Mice and Men

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Green Floating Weirdness #1 under the pen name Gillian Holt.

_"I was flattered, really."_

 

          Harrison Blackwood held the door to the Cottage open for his teammate, watching as Lt. Colonel Ironhorse stalked into the house with a self-satisfied half smile on his face.  Suzanne and Norton, emerging from the elevator, met them in the entryway and together the four Project members made their way to the living room, where they sank into their regular seats, finally able to relax.  Another alien disaster had been averted – just barely.

          Noticing the wide white bandage on Harrison's right hand, Suzanne nodded at it, asking, "What happened to you?  I thought you said you were okay?"

          "He ruined his chances of becoming a violin player," Ironhorse explained deadpan.

          "Excuse me?" the microbiologist responded, looking at the soldier and wondering if he might have sustained a blow to the head.

          Blackwood grinned.  "Just an old joke," he told the microbiologist.  The smile widened; still, the soldier had fallen for it at the time.  "I burned myself when I grabbed a steam pipe."

          "Ouch," Norton summed up.  "Not a very bright move, Doc."

          "True, but it was better than what had hold of my ankle at the time.  Thank goodness the Colonel was there… with his _big_ knife."

          Norton chuckled.

          Suzanne made a face.  "Is it bad?"

          "The paramedic said it should be fine in several days," the colonel briefed them, ignoring Blackwood.  "All in all, this was a very successful mission, people."

          "But it was close.  Too close," Suzanne said.

          "Absolutely," Blackwood concurred.

          "If Debi hadn't left Caesar's cage door open, and he hadn't eaten some of the grain, we might not have discovered it was tainted," she continued.

          Ironhorse nodded.  "I'm afraid Mr. Marcus Madison Mason was taken over.  A perfectly good contender for the Fortune 500 shot to hell."

          "I might not have liked the guy much, but I can't say I'd wish that on him.  I wonder what's going to happen to his company," Suzanne commented, pulling her sock-clad feet up on the couch.

          "I don't know, but General Wilson's going to have to review the personnel.  There's no telling what level of infiltration we could be looking at," Blackwood said.  "Or what else they might be dabbling in within Mason's company."

          "I'm sure the General's on top of things, Doctor." Ironhorse said, pushing himself out of the wing-backed chair.  He began arranging the wood for a fire.  "How's Debi holding up?"

          "We buried Caesar by the pond this morning," Suzanne told him.

          "I even set the computer up to play taps over the loudspeaker," Norton added, earning a glare from the soldier.  "Well, he did give his life in the line of duty, didn't he?"

          Ignoring the ribbing, Suzanne continued.  "She's still in the throes of adolescent grief, but she'll get past it in a few days.  I suppose I'll have to pick up another mouse, though."

          "Maybe we should consider something bigger?" Norton asked hopefully.  "You know, like a dog?"

          The microbiologist shook her head doubtfully.  "I don't think she's up to the responsibilities of a dog just yet."

          "Maybe a hamster?" Blackwood suggested.

          "I think that might be arranged," Ironhorse said, watching the kindling catch.  "I have to go into town tomorrow to pick up supplies and the mail.  I could stop by a pet store and see what they have."

          "An expert on hamsters, Colonel?" Blackwood teased.  "I'm surprised."

          "My younger sister had hamsters, Doctor.  Several of them, in fact."

          "Oh?" the astrophysicist pressed.  "And did you play with them, too?"

          "No, Doctor, I did not _play_ with them.  However, they did serve a rather useful purpose."  Ironhorse fought to keep his grin in check.

          Blackwood sat forward in his chair, not realizing he was walking into yet another Ironhorse trap – something he'd been doing quite a bit of lately.  "Care to elaborate?"

          "They kept the snake I had happy."

          "Paul!" Suzanne said, turning slightly green.  "That's awful!"

          "I'm sure the hamsters thought so, too," Norton added, trying not to smile.  "I have a feeling you were just had, Doc."

          Two black eyebrows rose slowly.  "Had, Mr. Drake?"

          "Just a figure of speech, big guy."

          Blackwood blushed slightly.  "I supposed I did step into that.  Colonel, if I didn't know better I'd swear someone's spiked your vitamins."

          "Excuse me, but I think I'll go keep the computer company.  To work, Gertrude," Norton said, rolling past Ironhorse before the eruption could occur.  To his surprise, the colonel just grinned one of his patented crooked smiles and stood.

          "And I have some paperwork that needs to be filled out.  I think Blackwood needs some privacy, anyway."

          Drake glanced over his shoulder in time to see the scowl the astrophysicist gave the Colonel's back.  "I hear ya, big guy."

          Harrison fought the urge to grab one of the small pillows off the couch and throw it at the men.  When they were gone he looked across at the microbiologist.

"Suzanne—" he started just as she began as well.

          "Harrison—"

          They both stopped.  Blackwood shifted uncomfortably in his chair, then spoke.  "Suzanne, I never had the chance to finish that apology I started earlier."

          "Apology?" she asked.  "You mean about Mason?"

          "I wasn't exactly acting in the most mature manner, that's for certain.  I know it's none of my business—"

          "Harrison," Suzanne said with a smile, "I was flattered, really.  Besides, like Mrs. P says, we're like a family around here, and it's pretty darn normal for family members to worry about one another."

          "I wish it was a noble as that," Blackwood mumbled, standing, his eyes fixed steadfastly on the carpet.  He walked over to the fire cracking softly in the fireplace.  "I haven't felt jealous in a long time, Suzanne.  It took me a little by surprise, and how the hell Ironhorse noticed it—"

           Her eyes widened slightly.  "Is there something you're not saying here, Harrison?"

          "No.  Yes.  Well…"  He stopped before he said something without thinking and considered his words more carefully.  "It's just that I do care about you, and this situation is—"

          "Unique?"

          He nodded.  "Yes, unique.  And stressful.  And enough to confuse anyone.  I just—"

          She held up a hand to stop him.  "I know exactly what you mean," she said.  Prompted by his skeptical expression she continued.  "Really.  You don't think I haven't had an occasional thought or two myself?"

          "You have?  About whom?"

          Her expression took on the countenance of the colonel.  "That, Doctor, is strictly need to know."  Her eyebrows jumped several times and they both laughed.

          Still grinning, Harrison extended a hand and pulled her to her feet.  "I suppose it is."


End file.
